Stage Details

Legislation -
Bill Sent To Committee
(Senate)
-
Aug. 1, 2008

Legislation -
Bill Passed
(House)
(246-178) -
July 31, 2008(Key vote)

Vote Result

Yea Votes

Nay Votes

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that revises the enforcement of prohibitions against sex discrimination in the payment of wages.

Highlights:

Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to prohibit employers from discriminating against employees who have filed complaints about pay discrepancies and subjects employers who exercise pay discrimination to be liable for compensatory damages and in some cases punitive damages (Sec. 3).

Authorizes the Secretary of Labor to make grants to governmental agencies, nonprofit groups, and community based organizations for negotiation skills training programs for girls and women (Sec. 5).

Establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace to be awarded to an employer that has made substantial efforts to eliminate pay disparities between men and women (Sec. 7).

Directs the Secretary of Labor to make accurate information on compensation discrimination readily available to the public (Sec. 9).

Authorizes the appropriation of $15 million to carry out this act, none of which maybe used for congressional earmarks (Sec. 10).